The original journal was written in German and is at The Filson Historical Society, Louisville, Kentucky

PAGE 15, continued

the 5th of Sept. we received marching orders, in the afternoon we set fire to everything, the self-made huts from brushwood and boards the wagons were loaded and the regiment fell into line to depart then it was changed to march off from there the next day, next in the evening toward 5 o’clock a fire broke out next to the Courthouse in Mursfreesboro, and 4 companies from our regt. had to double-quick to the burning place but before we arrived there it was already extinguished, we returned to camp, the same evening everyone was sick and those not capable of marching were transported to Nashville on the railroad next morning the 6th of Sept., we marched off from there, our brigade consisted of at that time, the 6th Ky. 41st Ohio and 2nd Ky. and the Battery. Around noon we made a halt at the Stone[s] River and marched off again about 5 o’clock, where we still made 7 miles in 2 hours

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We camped by the little city of Lavergne [LaVergne] and reached it by the moonlight, with the detour we had to make we covered 21 miles in the dust and heat that day, next morning at 10 o’clock we marched off again, and made a halt 4 miles from Nashville at the Stone River, there were many in the water and bathing themselves, then it was called Fall in and we marched in the night up to Nashville and made a halt, almost at the same place where we expected an attack in Feb. 62, after we entered Nashville, our knapsacks were loaded on special wagons during the night, and the tents also, and most now had no blankets at all with them, in the night 2 o’clock the 8 Sept. we marched off it was still night when we marched through Nash’ and we made the same day only 8 miles, and camped in the evening 8 miles from Nashville and also had not much to eat but what we fetched ourselves. We camped there 2 days, the 10th our Comp. went on picket, where it was made known to us to be on guard, because the rumor was that we would be attacked by 700 hostile Cav. [cavalrymen], the night passed quiet and it came to nothing. The other regiments in camp had to stand for 2 hours in Line of Battle, from this place it was still 8 miles to Nash. by the Railroad and 177 to Louisville, the 11th Sept. we marched away from there, we made 24 miles and camped at 10 o’clock at night the Rebels had left the place shortly before, because their picket fires still burned, it was foggy and rainy weather, the 12 Sept. next morning we marched off again. it went very slowly our Comp. and Comp. A were the skirmishers which were deployed on both sides of the road, and so we marched forward we however a mere 8 to 9 miles the same day and camped by the little city of Mitchelsville [Mitchellsville] 2 divisions ours and McCooks.

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on a large open place[,] it was foggy the whole night and rained very hard, about 2 o’clock in the morning we marched off again and the majority still had no coffee cooked and must leave without something warm to eat or drink, we marched through the little city of Franklin and we made 26 miles the same day in terrible dust, and we camped 2 miles from Bowling Green by a large ravine which was from 150 to 200 feet deep and a large stream of spring water flowed underneath Where we had to haul it up from there with great difficulty the 14th Sept. We marched until at the city Bowling Green, when we camped there, we saw the places which were now washed out, however still recognizable where Buckner had camped with his army last year near Bowling Green we had miserable muddy pond water, that was as thick as Buttermilk, and horses and donkeys all drank out of there, in the evening we had an inspection, where then also the Sergt. and Corp. drew ball pullers and scrapers from there it was still 155 miles to Louisville and 70 miles to Nashville by railroad, we drew there rations for 10 days consisting of flour and salted pickle pork, barely drawn from the Commissary when the order came it must last 20 days, and the order was we should provide ourselves with food for 3 days, and so we baked the whole day and until 12 o’clock at night. The so called Slapjacks, consisting of flour water and salted fat from old bacon, and the total when complete was a fatty mixture still half dough the 15. September I was also in Bowling Green and got my blanket, which I had not had since the 7. Sept. and had had to make do without it, the 16 Sept. I was rather sick because I could hardly stand upright, it was a sort of Fever, and attributed much to the unhealthy cakes[,] in the evening supposed to have marched off, our regiment was all ready on the street ready to march and the wagons were loaded it gradually became night, and the regiment camped again.

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the 17. Sept. we marched off. I had my things brought on the wagon and stayed with the same because I still felt weak and miserable, I spent the last night sleepless, things did no go very fast, we crossed the Barren River by B[owling] Green, the day went slowly or so to say not at all until toward evening then it went in a hurry until 4 o’clock in the morning the wagons were driven the whole night through and we marched beside them, because riding in one hurts more than if one does not ride. it rained tremendously, and we were soaked to the skin and my shoes were quite loose, and I really ran in the muck which ran into my shoes, we had put behind us 20 miles the same night, already for 2 days we received nothing warm to eat, i.e. we had no coffee to cook, I returned again to the regiment the next day and 18. Sept. we marched off on a side road through the bush to Glasgow Ky. however, the Rebels had already been driven away by our cavalry, and we headed then in another direction, it was about midnight before we camped because the whole army came together by a little country town named Prewitt Town, and the road was obstructed everywhere with wagons, cannon and armed forces everyone was impatient on account of this long standing around, and marching forward little by little, and then stopping again in the morning 4 o’clock the 19. Sept. we had Inspection, without having cooked our breakfast it was whether all rifles were clean and unloaded very early at daybreak the whole army marched off. The Hecker Regiment was the only one that still had music, we marched about 6 miles, we camped, however the whole brigade had to go out on picket right away. We had no blankets however,

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a barn was near and we got hay and straw for cover, it was rather cool and in the morning at daybreak we made a fire and burned the entire fence located by us, We had not had any coffee for 3 days, corn, apples and gruel was our food the 20. in the evening 2 wagons came and brought us foodstuffs and a ration of fresh meat. We cooked ourselves meat soup, we drew flour for 2 days, which we all had to bake the same night, the bakers went the whole night through, next morning were supposed to be attacked, but the enemy had gone away, in the evening about 7 o’clock marching orders came and the whole army moved forward, it went good as long as we marched on the street, but over half the way we had a wretched miserable forest road, where it was pitch black, and a good many accidentally ran against a tree truck, and fell to the ground, around 3 o’clock in the morning we camped near the Green River all with the greatest effort, in the morning the 22nd Sept. we cooked our coffee we camped on an open place, Where the sun was very oppressive, we then moved a half mile from there into the woods, barely reached there and stacked the rifles and we had to go back, and were back there again for barely a quarter of an hour and had to return there and had hardly a short half an hour’s rest and the general march blew again, we already had meat on the fire which was left over from the previous day and we succeeded in cooking it, and slurped it down in a hurry

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The 23 Sept. early morning we waded through the Green River the water was rather cool and 1 1/2 feet deep at noon we made a 3/4 hour halt at the Bacon Creek and camped in the evening next to the Nolin River we had made a hard march of 25 miles, and it took our colonel an hour to get the regiment organized until he let us rest, night 12 o’clock we were already disturbed, we drew flour and baked again the same stuff as usual the 24th Sept. we made about 24 miles again, and camped in the evening about 8 miles from West Point the water from Murfreesboro to Louisville was mostly terrible filthy and stinky Pond Water, the 25th of Sept. we marched off and arrived around noon at West Point Ky Where we had a rather long stop, evening we camped at the Ohio River, 1 mile from W, Point, and drew there again since a long time the well known Crackers and Ham, which appeared to us as a delicacy after the awful Slapjacks, night 2 o’clock came the order to march off in fact to Louisville, where it went easier although many still had not had their breakfast, several miles before Louisville our Colonel W[hitaker] behaved barbaric, because he hit some with his saber, and threatened to shoot, because soldiers who were sore and worn down were not quick enough to keep up[,] the left wing was in front and our Comp. the right took its proper position again just at the edge of Louisville. The 26th Sept. near noon we reached Louisville and camped by the Ohio Fall [Falls of the Ohio], behind the Elm Tree Garden. I washed myself and my clothes and received a pass to go home, next morning I went down into the camp again, afterwards I put clean clothes on

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and had several cents money in my pocket I felt happy again the 28th Sept. I wrote the payroll for 4 months, at home where my brother helped me, it was stated every day that we would receive money in Louisville the 9th Indiana and 27th Ky from our brigade were paid off at 4th and Chestnut Streets in Louisville, and we had to pull out without money, in the evening the 1st of October, we marched off from Louisville with the hope we would be paid off a few miles from Louisville, but we were mistaken, because we marched 10 miles in the night before we camped, and there was now no more talk of money. I stayed back and remained with several others by the corner of a fence where a burning desire arose again to turn back to Louisville. We started off early in the morning while it was still dark, and waited on the road until the regiment came marching up, at midnight it began to rain hard, the road was difficult, we walked over the Rolling Fork at which the Rebels had burned the bridge down and camped there in the area 2 miles from Mount Washington in muck and rain, the Division of Wood, which was ahead of us had driven the Rebels out of M[ount]. Washington that evening, we had heard their cannonading a long time the 3rd October early in the morning we marched off now came our Brigade and Division, the people of M. Washington, said only 1,500 Rebel cavalry were there, they scrammed, our Regiment was in front of the whole division and outside M. Washington the whole regiment was used as skirmishers, we had to move across woods hills and valleys and climb a good many fences there were several shots fired but no one was wounded, in the evening our regiment came on picket, we lay in a ditch near the street When the same morning the 4th October the paymaster came and paid off 6 companies, general march blew, we had to leave and 2 Comp. were still paid off

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on the march, and we 2 German companies therefore received no money at that time. Comp. B [formerly E] and G, each one of us, was greatly enraged over this sensitive exception, the total march for this same day amounted to at most 6 miles, the 5 October we rested for 1/2 hour in the woods next to the Fairground at Bardstown In the evening marched through Bardstown and camped 1 1/2 miles from there in the woods, cattle were slaughtered there, and each received his raw piece, that one could make with what he wanted, many roasted it on a stick over the fire and most had little pleasure from it, the water was scarce and dirty, the 6th October we marched an uneven and stony forest road, which made us all exhausted, also climbing up and down the hills and 9 o’clock at night we camped 2 miles from Springfield rations were still drawn and we spent until midnight before we laid down and could rest, 7th Oct. we marched off and made about 24 miles by 10 o’clock at night, a miserable road, and a lot stayed back, which returned only 2 and 3 days later, the dust and the water were always two items the first too much the latter too little, We settled very close to the Rolling Fork where adequate and good water was, we suffered thirst nearly the whole day and night until we came here The 8 October we marched off and met the Rebels about 8 miles from the last place we were[,] as we came we deployed in line of battle, in the center Rousseau and McCook had a hot fight and the cannon was nearly unceasing[,] the water was so scarce there that they battled over it until nightfall we moved back 1/4 mile and camped that night and drew yet provisions for 2 days the 9th October we moved up slowly in Line of Battle.

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to the little city of Perryville, over fences, cornfields woods and the like and camped for the night a short distance away we had plenty of water now while we camped by a large pond. The 10. October we again marched off again, but made only 4 to 5 miles, and camped by a large straw pile, most built themselves huts from it, while it began to rain, but unfortunately because of our occupation had to leave them again, then the general march blew and we marched forward one-half mile again away from the road, and left into the woods, it rained constantly day and night, and we had nothing but our wet blankets for protection and toward morning it was cold, at daybreak our company had to stalk around in the cornfields for 3 or 4 miles in a skirmish line without breakfast, and when we returned again we scarcely had time to eat something and draw our rations, and then we marched off to Danville, the 9th Indiana Regt. were the skirmishers and we formed up the cover on both sides of the street, the 41st Ohio and 6th Ky. we had to go through cornfields over fences, etc. our brigade was alone, the 6th Ky. 9th Ind. 41st Ohio and 110 Illinois we drove the Rebels, without small resistance out of Danville, and sent several cannon shots after them, we rested for a half an hour outside the city of Danville, and the 9th Indiana marched through We marched back again in Line of Battle, the same way we had come and camped again at the previous place, which was 3 1/2 miles distant from Danville. at night at 9 o’clock our regiment had to go on picket, it was very dark, and we had to stalk around near 2 miles in the country before all were posted, however our Comp. was the Reserve and camped by a pile of straw, which we made good beds out of, on Sunday morning, the 12th the whole division marched off.

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we were led in a circle for 7 miles near Camp Dick Robinson, and came back again not until 10 o’clock at night, not far from the place that we had left in the morning The 13. Oct, we marched barely one half mile further, the 14. Oct. we Marched again up to the little city of Danville, where we had to linger so long, until we had drawn rations, the weather was clear, we marched through Danville, Ky a nice little city with a pretty courthouse, and camped not until 9 o’clock at night 2 miles to the side of the little city of Stanford, we were located on the right side there in the night 1 o’clock the 15 October general march blew, most had still not slept, and we had to get ourselves ready in a hurry we marched 9 miles in the double-quick cannon thundered in the distance from General Crittenden’s Division, it was cold, the march made us sweat, and several times when we halted it froze on us, and many were still sleepy, by daybreak we arrived by the others, and stopped about 1 1/2 hours, Where we cooked ourselves coffee, we had to go one mile to get the water, Now they went away again the troops in front had Skirmish Fights with the Rebels the whole day and they went slowly forward, the 16th October around 5 1/2 o’clock in the morning marched off again, our brigade and division came in front, after 2 miles we reached Crittenden’s Division’s camp, and our whole regiment was deployed out there in a skirmish line on both sides of the street, and had to go up and down hills the entire day and over fences cornfields and all kinds of stuff near Mount Vernon, Ky., our company found next to a large hill 3 large 3 gallon containers full of Whisky, we drank it and filled our bottles, however half was spilled, there was a terrible fuss over that, I had my bottle nearly full with it, but the others drank it just like water, the company next to us also had received a pitcher from us, and many drank too much of it

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Not far from the last place our regiment had a skirmish with the rebels, where a man by the name of Vogel from Comp. C was shot dead and another slightly wounded, the Rebels had several wounded, also we captured some prisoners, the Rebels had the road blocked by felling trees about 3 o’clock in the afternoon we were relieved from our arduous post by the 9th Indiana Regt. in the evening the 27th Ky and 110 Illinois came on picket and we camped in the area of the Rock Castle’s [Rockcastle] River next morning the 17 Oct we again marched off made however barely 6 miles, we climbed up a mountain which was at least 3 miles long, and when we were on top, and had rested there some time, order came to turn around, and we were about half-way down, it was called again Right Abou, now went again up there and camped in the evening at nightfall in Camp Wild Cat where Zollicofer had camped last year we had driven the Rebels before us here the whole day, and they stood nowhere long, Camp Wildcat was protected with rifle pits. The 18. Oct our brigade had to do scouting, we made 3 to 4 M. but met no enemy, and therefore came back to the old place. The 19 Oct. we marched again from there only our brigade the 41st Ohio was in front, it went slowly forward, the Rebels had the way blocked everywhere with cut down trees, toward nightfall there were some shots exchanged between the skirmishers, whereupon our battery went forward and fired several times, whereupon they immediately gave answer in the same tone and some roared over our heads, the 110th Illinois was in front of us, they fell flat on the ground and got out of the way, the other regiments, ours, the 9th Ind. it was like a blow, everyone fell on the ground, and got out of the way, at the time no one knew the real reason for it; everyone laughed afterwards over it, and many looked dusty and when it was over, it began to get dark

PAGE 26 we camped in a wood some 50 yards left of the road. We had no water and could get none there, the Rebels were still in possession of it. Fires may not be made, the ambulance driver who had started one, had to put it out immediately, because the enemy right away shook loose with several bullets and which flew over our heads the night was cold and we of course could not sleep much, at daybreak we wanted to make a fire, however it was still a little too early and dark, we had to put it out again, but shortly afterward we made fires, and since only a little before we had been freezing we could barely wait to warm ourselves a little. The 20th we marched in Line of Battle up to an open field, and camped there, where we had water, also a coal mine was in the area, it was 4 miles from there to the little city of London, which we however did not go to, the enemy had moved back, Sergt Brauser from our company found a rifle of the Rebels, he sold it then to the doctor for $5. In the evening we drew half rations for 2 days with one day’s fresh meat[,] 21. Oct. we lay quietly, and we washed our necessities, in a hole or puddle, the 22. Oct we marched off from there and in fact back the way we had come and made 14 miles, without even having rested one time, and we made a halt at the Rockcastle river, it was cold so that the water in our bottles froze without fire we could not sleep and we continued to have only half enough to eat. The 23 Oct we drew half rations again for 4 days, and the whole Brigade unloaded their rifles loaded already 3 and 4 days, into the Rockcastle River in the afternoon we had drill again and in the evening at dress parade, our chaplain said a short prayer before the regiment, we all had to remove our hats and caps for as long as his prayer lasted

PAGE 27 The 24. at daybreak marched off again and made 10 miles by 9 1/2 o’clock in the morning, When we marched through Mount Vernon and then made a 1 hour halt there and afterwards again marched off we camped in the evening 4 M. on the road or a forest path to Somerset. It had already been dark for a while, we got ourselves straw wood and water, then arrived orders ours and Comp. C had to go on picket, we marched 1 miles from camp through the woods and Blackberry hedges, and had our difficulty in the darkness, until we were once at the place, it was rather cold and misty weather, in the morning the 25. Oct at Reveille we went back to the regiment, around noon, we marched off and camped in the evening without having rested a single time, it began to snow and snowed the whole night through a 5 to 6 inch deep snow, we had to spend the night by the fire, and, we were wet and frozen, it was from there still 15 miles to Somerset on the morning of the 26th we marched off the road was full of muck and snow which began to thaw, we were covered with it from head to foot before dark we reached Somerset[.] wanted to camp in a wood this side of SS [Somerset] however had to go away from there again, and then marched through Somerset it had snowed almost the whole day and in the evening it was a 7 to 8 inches deep snow, We were quartered in the woods and made fires where then we were still wet from the trees, because the snow, from the warming dripped continually until everyone under them, and socks pants etc. were all wet[,] we tried our best to get it all dry again, the ground was all wet and grimy and we could not think much about sleep here, overnight the weather cleared and the snow melted again, the 27th we again drew again half rations for 3 days, consisting of 5 crackers, 3 spoonfuls of coffee and 2 spoonfuls of sugar, and some bacon. the 28 Oct. we marched off again, but barely made 5 miles camped by a creek named Fish Creek, the 29 Oct we took

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up Our march up again and made the same day 7 to 8 miles, camped and that night drew half rations again for 3 days the 30th October marched off early in the morning 4 1/2 o’clock still pitch black, and made 18 miles, the 31. Oct we made 17 miles and camped by Russell Creek near Columbia, Ky where we again received our knapsacks and tents, the 1. Nov. I wrote the muster roll, and in the evening Inspection was held, the 2nd of Nov. about 10 o’clock in the morning we marched off. and marched through Columbia, made 13 miles, it was dusty and very windy the whole day and was cold, we camped in the evening to the side of the Glasgow street, by a creek, where there was nearly no more water in it, the same evening we drew 4 days half rations, 8 crackers, 5 spoons coffee and 3 ditto sugar and bacon the 3 Nov. marched off and we came through 2 little hamlets, named Edmonton Metcalf County and the other named Randolph’s County we crossed over the Beaver Creek, and when it was already night we marched through Glasgow, Ky. we had made 23 miles and camped 1/2 mile outside Glasgow. The 4. Nov we 2 Cos. [Companies] were paid out for 4 months and we also pitched our tents on the same day and the next day the drills resumed[,] the 6th Nov. I wrote payrolls for the last 2 months Sept and Oct. our brigade was all that was left there, and the 12. November we marched off from there and camped in the evening 1 mile from the Barren River. We had to make detours because bridges over 2 rivers were burned down, that we had to cross the same day, it rained and misted the whole day cleared again however about midnight 4 Comp. of our regiment came on picket and none had a blanket with them, toward 11 o’clock 3 niggers came to us. from whom we bought apples and in fact 12 for 5 cents, the 13. Nov in the morning at daybreak, the order came we should

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get our knapsacks and carry them the same day, which was hard on us, because it was a fast march, we came through a little city Scottsville Ky and camped 8 miles from Scottsville in the afternoon, after an 18 hard march, the 14th Nov we again marched off early, our knapsacks were loaded onto the wagon with the sick, 1 mile from there where our pickets already stood through the night, was the border stone of Tennessee and Kentucky we marched through a little hamlet by the name of Centrehill and camped in the evening 4 miles from Gallatin on an open place and 3/4 miles away from the road, by an almost dried out creek. I had sore feet and was very tired the 15 Nov. in the morning 9 o’clock we marched through Gallatin Ten [Tenn.] two miles from there we crossed over the Cumberland River, where it took a very long time, there only one man after the other could cross over a wooden bridge made from boards, the water had fallen considerably there, and in the middle was 2 1/2 to 3 feet deep, we camped when it was already dark 17 miles from Nashville on the Lebanon Pike. Where we however were led over to the left about one mile from the road and camped then in a wood where it was very stony, but enough wood available, spent yet 1 hour, until it set it up in there, it was still a good while that night before our wagon with its wretched donkey arrived, and we had to fetch our knapsacks some 5[00] to 600 yards from where we camped they lay all jumbled and each one had trouble finding his , the wagon still had to have corn, and our Company things, tents etc. were loaded on 3 or 4 different wagons, that we had to search for everywhere, and many got lost. (Continued in Part III)